The Right to be Taken Seriously
by The Atomic Cafe
Summary: MS, DL. 'They at it again? They always brighten up the lab with their fights.'


**The Right to be Taken Seriously**

**By Dimgwrthien**

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI: NY or affiliates.

Mac pulled his tie out of his locker and looked at it for a moment before replacing it with his jacket. It had been a while since he last wore one - the only times he did were for formal occasions, and those seemed too rare now. Maybe there'd be more reason to wear it soon. But he did enjoy some sort of newfound freedom of not wearing it, though not the vulnerability that seemed to come as a side effect to losing it.

"Maybe if - if you just told me what's the problem! Then I wouldn't have to assume -"

"You don't need to know!"

Sighing, Mac pinched the bridge of his nose and leaned against the locker door. How could he expect to come into the locker room to peace? He managed to keep silent, though, as he listened to Lindsay and Danny's hissing voices.

"If ya don't tell me anything, I just assume it's me, then!"

"It's not," Lindsay hissed back to Danny. Mac felt glad that they were on the opposite side of the lockers, though he wondered if his appearance would hush them.

"They at it again? They always brighten up the lab with their fights," said a whispered voice over Mac's shoulder. He turned to see Stella, her hair wet, a towel in her hand. She raised it slightly and said, "Bit of a chemical spill in the lab. They're cleaning it up."

Mac nodded. "I'll stay away from the lab for a while, then." He turned back to the direction of the younger detectives, who still continued to speak to each other in lowered voices that cracked to be louder. "I'm starting to wonder how long we've been missing this."

"It's exploding back. I know they've been arguing in here for the past two weeks." Stella listened to them for a moment. "I'm betting two months."

"Hmm?"

"I'm betting they've been together for two months." Stella shrugged. "Sounds about right."

"How do you figure that?" Mac asked, amused. He crossed his arms and looked at Stella through the corner of his eye.

"Obviously they tried dating once or twice, but that didn't work out for Lindsay." Stella motioned to the lockers where the voices came from behind as though that could prove her point. "We both know Danny, who wasn't exactly Mister Manners when he met her, and Lindsay, who isn't quite Miss Rush Into Things. It'd already take them a while to get to dating. Danny isn't exactly Captain Obvious, either, so he'd let Lindsay notice his problem before he'd bring it up, which would take another while -"

"Not quite. Lindsay's observant, and she's not hesitate to point out what she's found."

"And what makes you say _that_? She ever stalk you?"

Mac frowned at Stella's grin. "Let's just say she did the exact same thing you did and _somehow _managed to figure out I play guitar."

"So, did she stalk you to the club or your house?" Stella asked with a widen grin.

Mac glanced sideways at her.

"Oh, I'm kidding. Besides, you know I didn't mean to butt in then." Stella's smile didn't move off her face. "I just noticed that my boss never joined us for drinks on Wednesday, so I…"

"Got into your car and literally tailed me all the way there before nearly running me over?" Mac asked sarcastically. "At least Lindsay had the decency to stay in the background."

"You wouldn't be as angry if there was more." Stella smiled. "What else happened?"

"She brought Danny," Mac answered in a low voice.

Stella covered her mouth quickly to keep from laughing over Danny and Lindsay's conversation. "Mac Taylor - playing for - a - a crowd," she whispered through her giggles. "Wish I had been there."

"No, you don't." Mac looked back at the lockers, his back still arched to make a little contact with his own. "Still, I doubt it's been long for them."

"Still say they've been together a while." Stella shrugged. "Maybe they're just better at hiding it than you."

Mac froze. "What?"

"Yeah, that's why I came down here. Peyton was supposed to be doing an autopsy for me, but I haven't seen her. Have you?"

"She's on vacation," Mac muttered. His blood felt cold in his veins, a feeling he hadn't had in a long time. He wanted to dig that tie out of his locker, put it on, tell himself that it was his uniform and that no one had this much power over him when he was in that uniform.

"Vacation or fired?"

"Vac-"

"Or dumped?"

Mac stared straight ahead.

Stella laughed quietly. "It's not an interrogation, Mac, unless you make it one. I'm just asking a question." She hesitated. "You know, you can always just ask me to shut up."

"Maybe if you just listened once when I _do_ ask you to -"

"Doesn't mean I have to take it seriously."

Mac looked at Stella, his palms feeling slippery in the crooks of his elbows. She smiled. "Just kidding, Mac. Friend to friend, that's all it ever is." She waved her hands between them. "Just simple check-ups between friends, you know?"

At Mac's look, Stella raised her eyebrows. "Hey, at least I'm not yelling at you about all of this."

Mac couldn't help but smile at her, then turned back to the lockers to find Danny and Lindsay peering at them from the side. Danny's face was reddened, and Lindsay's face seemed strangely calm.

"I thought it'd be more private here," Danny sighed, then turned around. Mac heard him whisper something that sounded suspiciously like, "Shit."

"Hey, Mac, Stella," Lindsay greeted. She turned back to Danny and touched his arm. "Call me after work, alright?"

"Probably won't answer," Danny muttered, but he left with her.

Stella turned back to Mac once the door clicked shut quietly. "Guess we shouldn't be listening to them. I'm siding with Danny, though. She should at least -"

"She has her reasons." Mac closed his locker, thought about it, then reopened it. He pulled out his tie and held it curled around one of his hands. "He should just give her time, and I know she'll explain it to him."

"What reasons?"

Mac remained silent as he unfolded the tie and smoothed it out.

"Fine," Stella sighed. "I know, privacy. I just hope she isn't giving him a 'it's not you, it's me' speech. Those are just miserable. No wonder he hasn't smiled all week."

Mac smiled. "Maybe you should stand around the lab more."

"Don't tell me -"

"She gave him that speech two days ago."

Stella grinned. "Poor thing." She snickered quietly, then looked at Mac curiously. "Please tell me you haven't used it with Peyton."

Mac raised his eyebrows. "What even makes you think -"

"Sometimes actions speak as loud as the locker room." Stella smiled and touched his cheek. "I'll see you later. I better check on the lab to see how clean up's going."

Mac nodded and watched her leave. It took him a moment to consider her words before he followed her.


End file.
